Jul 11, 20218:46 PM - edited Aug 12, 202110:39 AM
HubSpot Employee
What makes inbound sales different?
Inbound sales transforms sales to match the way people buy. It's all about meeting prospects where they are and helping them move toward a purchasing decision. Is this different from the way you're used to approaching sales, or have you been doing sales in this way but calling it something else? Leave your thoughts in the comments about how inbound sales is similar to or different from the way you've been doing sales.
Thanks for sharing this insight on inbound sales. It aligns well with how I approach sales—focusing on understanding the buyer’s needs and guiding them naturally through their decision-making process. I’ve been doing something similar without labeling it as inbound sales. It’s great to see this approach emphasized! How do others see this shift?
Inbound sales is about connection. Finding what the pain point is and then guiding them on the best way to fix that pain. It's not any different than what I do now.
It's awareness of the problem that is mostly important. By living the challenge with the prospect and listening to understand where they are at while making key points to the next stage of consideration.
Inbound sales focuses on aligning with the buyer’s journey by offering valuable content and guidance tailored to the prospect’s needs. Unlike traditional sales, which may push products aggressively, inbound sales builds relationships and provides education to support informed decision-making.
Inbound sales is about how power to purchase a product is solely driven by the buyer, as a seller I would guide their thoughts to certain problems they might not have noticed but is very real and hence making them aware without manipulation or misleading them
Inbound is different because it puts the customer in the driver's seat while I just act as a guide. The destination does not feel forced but somehow, we arrive at my product. Haha. Love it!
Empathy. I believe that's what Inbound is all about. Listen before you speak, observe before you act. This helps understand the buyer's perspective or needs before you pitch yours (which is to sell your product/service).
Leads are attracted through content marketing, SEO, social media, and other forms of digital marketing. The prospects typically initiate contact or show interest by engaging with content, signing up for newsletters, or downloading resources.
I have been a software engineering freelancer for quite some time, and I believe most of the things I have been doing were basically inbound sale. After identifying and connecting with potential prospects I could sell my services to, I followed a client-centric approach by default during the negotiation phase in order to allow me to better understand their specific requirements from their perspective so that I can provide solid solution. I am pretty sure an actual sales team of any product might use a different approach.
Inbound sales tends to be concerned with matching the way people buy. This is opposed to the old more aggressive ways that sales people used to proceed.
Inbound sales focuses on attracting, engaging, and delighting customers by providing valuable content and personalized experiences. Unlike traditional sales, it aligns with the buyer's journey, addressing their needs and building trust, leading to more meaningful and effective customer relationships.
Inbound sales involves asking a potential buyer questions to find out what stage in the customer 's journey they're currently at and then helping them with resources to continue smoothly along the journey.
Some questions to ask potential buyers:
1. Awareness of problem
- what would you say is your main goal?
-what challenges are you facing in meeting your goal?
- what resources have you used so far to help you understand your goal and the challenges?
-what could happen if you do not take any action to solve the challenges?
- How do you determine if this goal is a priority for you?